Dual purpose clothing bag



June 17, 1958 L. D. THORLOUGH SMITH DUAL PURPOSE CLOTHING BAG -Filedw Feb. 8, 1957 13 g of IN V EN TOR. LD- THO/ELOZ/Gh 5/7 771 United States Patent DUAL PURPOSE CLOTHING BAG L. D. Thorlough Smith, Springfield, Ohio Application February 8, 1957, Serial No. 639,123

4 Claims. 01. 190-43 (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to a clothing bag that facilitates hand-carrying and, more particularly, to a combination traveling case and clothing container.

In the design of clothing bags, it is particularly desirable to attain a container that facilitates hand-carry and, at the same time, affords ample space for essential clothing needs. Moreover, it is highly important especially for business men and servicemen engaged in numerous trips that said clothing arrives at the destination in reasonably good condition in the event that adequate dry-cleaning and/ or pressing service is unavailable. Furthermore, such a bag should facilitate hand-carry during the travel phase of such a trip and, simultaneously, be designed or act as a semi-permanent type container for hanging-up clothing once the destination has been reached, as for example, the B-4 type bag used by air force and other military and naval personnel; however, the latter type bag has proven to be somewhat bulky for hanging-up purposes in view of the cumbersome side pockets utilized therein. For this reason the present invention utilizes improved means for accomplishing the same basic purpose.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to utilize a clothing bag having a dual purpose, namely, ease of hand-carrying and yet enables one to hang-up the important clothing with a minimum of effort.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of an outer container having an inner container positioned therein in which essential clothing may be carried.

A still further object of this invention provides an inner clothing bag that is separable from the outer case.

Another object of this invention is the utilization of releasable means for retaining the inner clothing bag in position in the outer travel case and for releasing the same therefrom when it is desired to hang-up the clothing.

An additional object of this invention is in the use of supporting frames for the outer travel case which frames may be removed when repairs are required.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of the traveling case utilized in the invention in open condition, illustrating the inner clothing bag preparatory to its removal from said traveling case.

Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the traveling case utilized in the invention, illustrating its closed condition.

With particular reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the traveling case of the instant invention is indicated generally at 1 in its open or flat condition preparatory to packing or unpacking. Positioned in said traveling case 1 is the clothing bag indicated generally at 2 which clothing bag 2 is removably retained in said traveling case 1 by a plurality of snap fasteners indicated at 3 and positioned in opposite corners. The clothing bag 2 utilizes a total of four snap fasteners 3, one pair of which is revealed in Fig. 1, the other pair of which is located at the opposite end in the same postion as said first pair, however, said clothing bag 2 may utilize any desired number of snap fasteners without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Said clothing bag 2, which is of such a size and shape as to fit snugly within said traveling case 1, includes a cover panel 4 which cover panel 4 may be opened or closed by means of a zipper 5. inside said clothing bag 2 is an inside hook 6 incorporated at the upper end thereof which book 6 is utilized to hang at least three hangers 7 thereon. Said traveling case 1 is rectangular in shape and is formed of a onepiece flexible or pliable material, as for example, leather or cloth. As seen clearly in Fig. l of the drawings, said traveling case 1 incorporates raised side and end walls 8 and 9, respectively, to provide space into which said clothing bag 2 is positioned, a zipper 10 on the outer or upper edge of said side and end walls, and a swinging bar 11 pivotally mounted at 11a to support the bag 2 and any clothing therein when traveling case 1 is closed. In order to maintain said side and end walls 8 and 9 in the upright position, at least two (2) semi-rigid supporting frames 12 and 13 are utilized and are releasably held in the sleeves 14 (only one of which is illustrated, the other sleeve 14 being incorporated on the opposite side wall) affixed to said side Walls 8. Each of said frames 12 and 13 are subtsantially U-shaped with the base of the U forming support for opposite end walls 9 and the respective legs extending along opposite side walls to meet inside of said sleeves 14 at the approximate center of each side wall 8. Said frames 12 and 13 are thus removable from sleeves 14 in the event repairs are necessary. Said clothing bag 2 may be made of any plastic or other suitable material as desired.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the traveling case 1 is shown in its closed position and includes side pockets indicated generally at 15 on each side of said case 1, said side pockets being closed by a zipper 16. It is seen that said traveling case 1 has been folded in the middle from its flat position of Fig. 1 to its travel position of Fig. 2 and due to the semi-rigid supporting frames 12 and 13, a substantial base is formed to support the case 1 in an upright position as in said Fig. 2. The zipper 10 is in its closed position and a removable handle 17 is utilized to hand-carry said traveling case 1.

To summarize the operation of the clothing container of the present invention, the traveling case 1 is opened and then laid out in its flat condition (Fig. l), the clothing bag 2 is packed with clothing by means of the hangers 7 after unzipping its zipper 5, the cover 4 is closed, and said clothing bag 2 is placed within the space provided in said traveling case 1 after swinging or pivoting bar 11 to its inoperative position, and the snap fasteners 3 are snapped into place. Next, said bar 11 is returned to its operative position to lock or retain the clothing bag 2 and the clothes therein in place in said case 1, said traveling case 1 is folded in the middle, and the zipper 10 is operated to lock case 1 in its closed position, at which time the latter becomes self-supporting because of supporting frames 12 and 13. Now, if it is desired to unpack said traveling case 1, it is only necessary to reverse the above operation for packing, remove the colthing bag 2, and hang it in a position to enable it to fully extend such as when hanging in a clothes closet. in order to hang said clothing bag 2, a second hook is incorporated on the outside end thereof opposite to said inside hook 6. Of course, the side pockets 15 may be into an open, fiat position, an inner clothes bag releasably positioned in said outer traveling case, means supporting the side and end portions of said outer traveling t case in substantially upright position, said inner clothes 7 bag comprising a flexible container having a substantially full-length'front flap cover and a zipper for opening and closing said front flap cover, and elongated retaining means, hingedly mounted at one endon one of the substantially upright side portions of said outer traveling case and swingable transversely across an intermediate portion of said inner clothes bag to lock said inner closed bag in position in said outer traveling case.

i 2. A clothes container including an outer case having raised side and end walls, an inner clothes tbag releasably positioned in said outer case, and means releasably retaining said inner clothes bag in snug relation in said outer case, said means comprisinga flap portion integrally mounted in overlapping relation on an end surface of said inner clothes bag and a plurality of complementally disposed fasteners mounted respectively in said integral flap: portion and an adjacent end wall surface of said outer case for retainingvsaid clothes bag in said case, and a bar mounted onran intermediate portion of t 4, t 7 one of said side walls'of'said outer case for swinging movement across said inner clothes bag for assisting in retaining said clothes bag in snug relation within said outer case.

3. In a container for clothing, a traveling case having a fiat bottom, upright side and end walls extending above the surface of said bottom, a clothes bag insertable into the space between said side and end walls in snug relation adjacent the bottomsurface of'said traveling case,

and locking means between said clothestbag and said traveling case retaining said clothes bag in" position within said traveling case, said locking means, comprising complementary latching elements positioned between the upper surface or said:clothesbag and the end walls of said traveling case, andanelongated element pivot ally mounted on 'one' side wall of'sa'id travelihg 'case and extending across said-clothes bag to retain said clothes bag in snug relation in said traveling case.

4. Ina container for clothiu'g-aslin claim 3 said'clothcs ReferencestCited'in the'fil'eof this patent j QUNITED: STATES PATENTS Zichy Dec. 20,- 1927 2,574,089 Cochran Nov. 6, 1931 2,717,671' Arnold et al. 2.. Sept; 13, 1955 2,774,450 Smallb'erg Dec; 18, 1956 2,797,779 --Davis' July 2; 1957 

